SLJ praises Monica Rojas’s PATCHWORK MEMORIES in starred review: “A beautiful and optimistic book . . . Children with a relative struggling with dementia will see that they’re not alone”

★ Patchwork Memories by Monica Rojas, illus. by Luisa Uribe.

Lerner/Carolrhoda. Sept. 2026.

“PreS-Gr 3–Abuelita always lived in the yellow room with dancing curtains, sewing, laughing, and telling stories. However, when Abuelita’s failing memory means she must move, her granddaughter finds a patchwork quilt depicting the family’s happy and sad moments. Understanding a family member’s aging is hard for young children, and sometimes the adults in their lives are hard-pressed to explain why things are changing or why their relative is acting so differently. Telling this story from the youngest granddaughter’s point of view allows children to place themselves in the story, and having the entire family relate the stories behind the quilt’s patches helps the quilt become a physical family history. Beautiful and bright illustrations give life to the narrative, and discussions of the quilt’s various patches are visualized with the stories behind them. Motifs of patches and flying embroidered birds begin to appear toward the end of the book, representing how Abuelita’s memory is fading. Adults will have to remember to use a light tone while reading; the story itself is very sweet, even though it’s about a serious subject. Ultimately, this is a beautiful and optimistic book about a changing family and how to appreciate an elder’s stories in different ways.

VERDICT: Perfect for any picture book collection; children with a relative struggling with dementia will see that they’re not alone.”

–Jessica Durham